Today, many operating systems utilize a windows based configuration of user interface elements, such as application programs. Application windows are a user interface facility of graphical user interface (GUI) systems. While application windows may vary in appearance across systems, they share many common user interface (UI) visuals attributes, such as a frame area with a title bar control containing window management controls, the ability to be resized and repositioned, and to exist among other application windows associated with different applications. Together, multiple application windows can appear simultaneously on the screen, even layered on top of each other, typically represented by the order each application window was last accessed by a user. When an application window is the window that a user is working with currently, its frame appears in an active visual state. This is in contrast to an inactive visual state when the application window is not the window the user is currently working with. These two states typically have different appearances and primarily serve to communicate to the user which application window she is currently working with.
Windows® XP by Microsoft® Corporation of Redmond, Wash. supports the ability to change user interface “themes” which essentially swaps out all UI visuals with alternate renderings in an operating environment. The themes of Windows® XP are different bitmaps. As a user chose a different theme for her desktop environment, UI elements of the environment would employ the designated bitmaps for the different UI elements. Windows® XP provides the ability to change the appearance of all common window frames and controls and other UI elements, allowing for personalization of the operating environment. However, a user is limited to the themes provided.
Other operating systems employ a UI environment which is drawn programmatically. Users are provided greater flexibility in personalization as color choice is not limited to supplied bitmaps. Users can effectively dial in any color choice they wished and have that applied to common window frame and controls and other UI elements. However, the color choice is a single format applied to a single non-glass appearance window frame representation. A user is not supplied with a number of different visual appearances for the UI elements other than the overall color choice.